Voice to Text for iTerm2
iTerm2 is where power users live. Split panes, SSH sessions, complex git workflows. But composing intricate commands with multiple flags and pipes still means careful keystroke-by-keystroke typing. Blurt changes that. Hold a button, speak your command or commit message, release. Text appears at your cursor. Works seamlessly with iTerm2 on macOS. Your hands stay ready for navigation and execution. Your voice handles the composition.
The Typing Problem
Commands with nested flags and arguments
You're building a curl request with headers, authentication, JSON body, and output formatting. Or an rsync with excludes, dry-run, and progress flags. Each flag needs the right syntax, the right quotes, the right order. One misplaced dash and you're debugging instead of working. You could describe the whole thing in 10 seconds and adjust the syntax after.
Git commit messages that future you will thank you for
You've just finished a complex refactor across multiple files. The commit message should explain why, not just what. But typing out 'Restructure authentication flow to support OAuth2 PKCE and add fallback for legacy token refresh' takes too long mid-flow. So you write 'refactor auth' and hate yourself in three months when you're hunting a regression.
SSH sessions with multiple servers
You're connected to three servers across split panes. Each needs different commands with different paths and configurations. Context-switching between typing environments is mentally expensive. Speaking the command you need in the active pane keeps your brain focused on the problem, not the typing mechanics.
Shell scripts that need inline comments
You're writing a deploy script or automation. Every block should have a comment explaining what it does. But switching from code brain to prose brain for every comment is friction. The comments get skipped. Six months later, nobody knows why that environment variable check exists or what happens if it fails.
Complex piped operations
Finding all TypeScript files modified in the last week, extracting import statements, sorting uniquely, and counting them. The command is a chain of find, grep, sort, uniq, and wc. You're reasoning through it out loud anyway. Why not capture that reasoning as a starting point and clean up the syntax?
How It Works
Blurt works anywhere you can type on macOS. iTerm2 with its splits, tabs, and tmux integration included. If your cursor is in a pane, Blurt can insert text there.
Hold your hotkey
Press your configured shortcut. A subtle indicator shows Blurt is listening. Your iTerm2 pane stays focused and ready.
Speak your command or message
Describe your git commit, dictate your comment, or speak the command structure. Natural language, technical terms, flags. Blurt handles it.
Release and refine
Text appears at your cursor. Adjust syntax if needed, hit enter to execute. Your command history stays clean. Your commit log stays useful.
Real Scenarios
Detailed git commit messages
Your changes are staged and iTerm2 is waiting for the commit message. Hold and speak: 'Add retry logic to payment processing with exponential backoff and circuit breaker pattern for third-party gateway failures.' Your commit message captures the intent, not just the action. Future debugging sessions thank you.
Complex CLI argument composition
You need a docker run command with port mappings, volume mounts, environment variables, and network settings. Speak the structure: 'docker run detached with port 8080 mapped to 3000, mount current directory to app, set NODE_ENV to production, use bridge network.' Adjust quotes and dashes, execute. Starting point in seconds.
Multi-line shell script comments
You're writing a bash script in vim within iTerm2. Before a complex function, speak: 'This function handles database migrations by checking the current schema version, downloading migration files from S3, and applying them in sequence with rollback on failure.' Documentation written at the speed of thought.
Git branch descriptions and PR prep
Creating a new feature branch and want to remember what it's for. Speak your branch description into a notes file or directly as a commit message: 'Feature branch for implementing user preference sync across devices using WebSocket connections and local IndexedDB cache.' Context preserved for when you open the PR.
SSH config annotations
You're editing SSH configs in iTerm2. Each host entry needs context for your team. Speak: 'Staging environment database server, read-only replica for analytics team, requires VPN connection first.' Comments appear inline. Onboarding new team members becomes self-documenting.
Debugging notes in real-time
You're troubleshooting an issue across SSH sessions. As you work, dictate findings: 'Memory usage spikes correlate with batch job at 2am, GC logs show heap exhaustion, likely connection pool leak in worker process.' Notes captured without breaking your terminal workflow.
Command explanations for team documentation
You've just figured out the right incantation for a tricky aws cli command. While it's fresh, speak the explanation: 'This command syncs only modified files to S3, excludes node modules and build artifacts, and invalidates the CloudFront cache for changed paths.' Document once, reference forever.
Why iTerm2 users choose Blurt for command composition
| Blurt | macOS Dictation | |
|---|---|---|
| iTerm2 compatibility | Full support in all panes and tabs | Inconsistent behavior in terminal contexts |
| Technical vocabulary | Handles git, docker, ssh, kubectl, and CLI flags | Struggles with command syntax and technical terms |
| Activation | Single hotkey, no focus change | Double-tap Fn, can interrupt terminal input |
| Speed | Text appears in under 500ms | Noticeable delay before text insertion |
Frequently Asked Questions
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